


Itchy Trigger

by kyarorin



Category: Brave Police J-Decker
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 04:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11305572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyarorin/pseuds/kyarorin
Summary: A battle gone wrong, a wound up Gunmax, and a quiet moment together.  Gunmax will kick himself later for making a promise he knows he can't keep, but they need each other believe it for sanity's sake.





	Itchy Trigger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goodnyte](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodnyte/gifts).



> Nyte requested this last August and while I love the pairing I was?? fkn??? stuck??? Couldn't figure out how to start but apparently the trick was to write this with non-canon pronouns. Original, unaltered GDoc link is at the end, so.

He's giving him that look again, that one that means they know he's only being rude and blustery about Power Joe because he doesn't want the other mechs to know how worried he'd been.

And he hadn't been.

Worried, that is.

At all.

Nevermind that the blow had damaged Power Joe so badly that Build Tiger had fallen apart from the pain of it or that Gunmax hadn't even  _ thought _ , just  _ acted _ , transformed and was in J-Decker's hand and blasting that fucking menace of a Gundam-wannabe into pieces.

Todou had just returned from the repair bay, the mechanic's hands stained with oil and more than a few cuts. "He'll be fine, the blast missed his main processors and AI chip." A sigh and then a stern look and the old human, " _ One _ at a time and now hyperactive antics- especially you, Drill Boy- She needs to rest and integrate the new components, not be piled on by the lot of you."

Gunmax had snorted, waved at McCrane and muttered something about not having the tanks for schmoop.

And Deckerd had looked at him, smiled, and leaned against the wall waiting on his turn to check in on his teammate.

Gunmax didn't need to ping Deckerd to ask why he was smirking. He'd felt Deckerd's echoing rage and fear when they'd linked systems to defend their friend- felt his answering relief when McCrane had cried out that Power Joe was still functional. And whenever the two linked... Gunmax always felt as though that that hard-line channel was still open between them, hours after the battle ended.

He could feel Deckerd's fond amusement and relief- but it was gone the moment he was over the threshold and away from Deckerd and the rest outside the repair bay.

Snorting, Gunmax stormed into the washracks, punching in his code to his locker while pinging the shower to start. The Braves were strong- there'd been no reason to panic or worry over Power Joe, he'd survived worse.

They all had.

The bottle of cleanser creaked in his hand and Gunmax frowned before stepping under the spray of warm water.

All the stress of the battle, the shock and fear of potentially losing someone, the strain of waiting for words... Snarling, Gunmax punched the wall and leaned against it, hot water sluicing down his back and through the spaces between his plating.

Fuck.

This was why he hadn't wanted to become part of the Braves. One didn't have to worry about being betrayed or having someone die on you if you worked alone.

A hand pulled his fist away from the wall, rubbing gentle circles along tense cables exposed between panels. "Gunmax," Deckerd's low, soothing voice came from behind, practically in his audial.

"Shut up," he muttered, leaning back into his and turning his head to nuzzle his cheek.

Thankfully, Deckerd didn't say anything, instead he pulled Gunmax closer and continued to smooth both hands up and down his tense frame.

He hated this, being so wound up after a tough battle that it was  _ Deckerd _ who was the one put him back together while he was trying not to fall apart.

Gunmax had seen other officers go through this- when the adrenaline finally crashed. When they were safe.

With Deckerd at his back Gunmax felt safe. And weak.

"You're not," Deckerd murmured and Gunmax closed his optics. Of course he'd said that last thought out loud... And, of course, Deckerd had immediately refuted it while kissing the side of his helm and shushing him. Deckerd's hands continued to soothe up and down his panels as Gunmax melted into him with a slow release of tense hydraulics.

Damnit.

he wouldn't have it any other way, but sometimes he wondered what it would be like to be purely mechanical, without heart or mind, just advanced algorithms and learning trees reacting to patterns and not some fucking mess of emotions. It'd be boring, but easier.

Laughing softly at himself, Gunmax relaxed into the spray and closed his optics. No heart meant he wouldn't be bored either, now wouldn't it? Deckerd's hands reached the back of his hips, popping a few back into place and Gunmax vented long and slow into the simple sensation of Deckerd's soothing affection.

Power Joe was alright, they'd won the day again. He could process the storm of emotions while buffered inside of the feeling of warm water and touch as time slipped away.

Eventually, the water automatically shut off and the two mechs pulled apart; Deckerd's hands lingered, reluctant to part. Gunmax took Deckerd's hands into his and brought them up to his lips. "Come on, boy scout," he said said fondly, "Let's dry up and not get yelled at about rust, yeah?   
  


Deckerd gave him a small, genuine smile, "Todou's had enough for today, I think it's best." He tilted his helm as Gunmax tugged them out of the stall, grabbing a towel on the way. "Will you stay with me tonight?"

He scoffed. "Still rattled, Deckerd?" Despite his biting tone, he gave his hand a squeeze as both dripped water onto the floor. It was always easier to dry while sitting on the benches.

Deckerd was quiet for a while, tilting his helm into Gunmax's hands as he toweled him down. "...a little, yes." Gunmax raised one brow ridge and slowed, cupping Deckerd's cheeks in his hands; the other mech looked away and then back, optics earnest. "Perhaps I just need a little break, but the more these incidents happen the more likely it is one of us  _ doesn't _ survive.

"So, yes, that is why I'm asking you stay tonight. I want to hold you."

It was now Gunmax's turn to look away from that worried, open gaze.

There was no link needed for him to understand the fear in those optics, or understand the plea for comfort. Deckerd had put him before his own hurt. He nearly berated the other mech for putting him first but he stopped, muting his vocalizer as he pet the side of the blue mech's face. Being part of a team meant you had to work together, to give and take, and take and give when the situation called for it.

"I'll stay, yeah," Gunmax said softly, leaning down to press lips to his," you can count on that."

**Author's Note:**

> Check out the original version with all female pronouns here: https://guttergarden.dreamwidth.org/8073.html


End file.
